Question 5: Nothingness? Emptiness?
The writing about Zen talks a lot about nothingness and emptiness. Is Zen really about realizing that everything is just an illusion wrapped around hollowness? If all is an illusion, then where is the difference between illusion and reality? Why should I care?
Response: [LOL] Brother, have you ever set a trap for us now! Let's walk right in. There are "authorities" in Zen that seem to teach the absurd paradox that you mention - "an illusion wrapped around hollowness" - but what was a tool meant to rip the garments off of mind has instead become its burial shroud for many people. Zen is not nihilism and it's mission is not to destroy mind, but to reveal it in as much of its pristine glory as anyone can bear/bare. As for illusion and reality, try just thinking "garments" and "wearer". If you strip away all the garments of mind - thoughts, feelings, beliefs - what is left as the wearer? Nothing describes it. Compared to it our words are empty of meaning. Yet "it" is nonetheless present. Where did those garments come from? Why should you care? Short answer - because you do.
Question 6: So What's the Point???
I've been a Mason for nearly 20 years, and I'm sorry but I just don't see a lot of value in what you're doing here. Maybe I'm missing the point, but it seems to me that living a virtuous life and serving your fellow man and God doesn't require a lot of fancy talk, contemplating your navel, or reading weird little stories, some of which just sound crazy and don't say much of anything. So what's the point???
Response: Great question! Actually, a number of the essays, koans and parables on this site deal with very similar questions. In response, we might simply say that determining a point is a challenge for the individual asking the question.
Or perhaps we might ask: Once one knows what it means to be a Mason, then what's the point in continuing to belong to the fraternity?
Or we might point out how easy it can be to get stuck in seeing or doing things in only one way. When that happens it is common to start getting bored, lazy, and careless, or maybe very narrow minded, rigid, and intolerant. One intention of ZenMasonry is to provide some tools that can help one remedy or prevent such imbalances.
But if we look at your statement about "living a virtuous life and serving your fellow man and God", many other questions might come to mind. Are each of these things so easy and uncomplicated that nobody ever experiences confusion, doubts, or conflicts in trying to accomplish them? Where confusion, doubts, or conflicts arise, we might call this "darkness". One intention of ZenMasonry is to provide some tools that can help one receive more "light".
We don't claim to be imparting balance or shedding light, only offering tools that we've found helpful in doing that for ourselves. In any kind of labors, if the tools don't work for someone, then maybe more time could be spent practicing with them. On the other hand, maybe they could just be put down and forgotten. It's up to the individual craftsman to decide. Either way, we're all still brothers.